Topic 1 & 2 Test Timeline

Cuneiform is Created

3000 BCE

Cuneiform is one of the most important events related to the development of civilization because it was the first-ever writing system. Cuneiform was created by the Mesopotamians to write down tax records.

The Pyramids of Giza Are Started

2660 BCE

The pyramids were built in Egypt during the Old Kingdom from 2660 - 2400 BCE. These early feats of engineering were built as tombs for the kings of Egypt. The construction of the pyramids was only possible in Egypt because of the plentiful harvests the Nile's fertile soil allowed. The harvests allowed the people working on the pyramids to have sufficient calories to work so hard.

First True Empire is Formed

2340 BCE

In 2340 BCE the first-ever true empire was formed. The empire was made by Sargon the Great when he conquered and united many of the Mesopotamian cities. This showed the development of civilization because it was the first large gathering of people under one ruler. It showed how far bureaucracy had come.

Hammurabi's Code was made

1780 BCE

Hammurabi's Code is the first set of laws that were made (that we know of). The laws were made in Babylon and emphasized the "eye for an eye" principle. This was vital to the development of civilization because, without laws and a system of punishment for breaking the laws, cities would fall into chaos.

Amenhotep IV's Rule Began

1353 BCE

Amenhotep IV was a Pharoah in Egypt that tried to start a religious revolution in Egypt and make them monotheistic. This revolution was not well thought out, so it failed miserably. If it were not for his son, King Tut, who came after him and restored the old religious traditions, then Egypt may have fallen. This is important to the development of civilization because it shows how unpopular monotheism was until the Hebrews came.

Phoenician Alphabet is Created

1300 BCE

The Phoenician alphabet was the first syllabic writing system. That means that each character of their alphabet represented a syllable of a word. This alphabet was the basis for the Greek and Roman writing system. This was a large step in the development of languages, since before every word had a character which meant it was a tough language to learn. Syllabic writing is the basis of all writing in the world today.

The Collapse of The New Kingdom

1150 BCE

The collapse of the New Kingdom was part of a much larger phenomenon, the collapse of the Bronze Age. The New Kingdom collapsed because of a series of invasions. Then, a civil war broke out among the people of Egypt, which left them vulnerable to outside attacks. Soon enough, Egypt would be added to the empire of the Assyrians. This was important to the development of civilization because it showed the end of an era of civilizations and the start of a new, stronger era.

Blacksmiths Make Iron Sturdier

1100 BCE

The Iron Age began right after the collapse of the Bronze Age when blacksmiths found a way to make iron stronger. This caused the armies around the world to stop using bronze, which they couldn't get anyways because all the trade routes that transported bronze collapsed, and begin using iron since it was stronger. The use of iron in wars was revolutionary as it changed warfare.

The Assyrians Rise To Power

880 BCE

In 880 BCE the Assyrians started wars to conquer Mesopotamia and Canaan. This symbolizes the start of the Assyrian's rise to power. The Assyrians' rise to power was important because they were to become the empire with the best military and bureaucratic system of all civilizations so far in the Iron Age.

The Prophetic Movement Begins

750 BCE

The prophetic movement was a religious movement run by the Hebrews that lasted from 750 - 550 BCE. In this movement, the Hebrews spread the word that people should worship Yahweh exclusively. This was very important to the development of civilization because it was the beginning of many important religions in today's world such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.